Why the Wolves Howl Towards the Moon
by Heather Dehmer
Summary: A sad romance Story. This was an assighnment for my English class so I decided to upload it here. Enjoy! Note: rated T for some gore
1. Chapter 1

Dehmer5

Heather Dehmer

Ms. Peterson

English 9

5 November

Why the Wolves Howl Towards the Moon

It's cold. Even in the welcoming glow and warmth of the firelight, it's so cold. I peek out my fog covered window and wipe an area away. I look outside. I see what I always see every foreboding night, an endless plain of cloudy, black ink. The only source of light in this malevolent, eerie forest, is the elegant and heavenly full moon. It won't be long now, the sorrowful and regretful melody of the fearless and feared predators of this icy place, will begin soon. Then it starts.

It starts out slow, almost mellow. Then, ever so slowly, gathers speed. It makes you feel like you're being hunted in this exact forest, fleeing for your life. It suddenly stops, then, starts up again, but this time, a sad, depressing, slow, tearful song. It slowly fades out into nothing. The wolves have finished. I look at my clock; it reads 11:59, one second from midnight. I'm up so, I might as well tell you the story behind the wolves' song.

XxXxX

Long ago, in a time very different from our own, there was the gods. The one we're centered onto though, is our dear protector of the wild and of the night, Artemis. Now, Artemis was bored a particular day, for everything was peaceful, meaning she had absolutely nothing to do. In her boredom, a human called out to her. The voice sounded desperate, but Artemis paid naught to the sound of the voice, just that she had something to do.

_Finally,_ she thought to herself,_ something to do!_

Artemis descended from the heavens and landed in front of the human in a flourish of silvery light. When she opened her eyes, they were met with piercing, glowing, yellow eyes flecked with gold. Artemis wasn't surprised, just perturbed. Humans were not meant to have eyes such as these. Only her subjects ever had such eyes. She looked to human over. He had black hair, peppered with gray and white. It was obvious he was built, a man born for the hunt. He had the normal clothing of humans at this age in time. His face, when you looked at his face, you could only see a hungry predator ready to hunt. Artemis blinked, and then remembered why she came here for.

"What is it you ask of me, _mortal man_," she asked, purposely and unnecessarily lacing the last to words with venom. The man's eyes gleamed with joy that she actually came. Yet, they glinted with something Artemis, a god mind you, could not identify. She reminded herself to proceed with caution.

"I wish," the man started, "to become one with mother Earth while prowling the surface. I've realized that we humans, as a species, are utterly hopeless. So I do not wish to be one anymore. I want to be a feared creature, one they would never wish to meet. Please, change me into what you will, but please," he kneeled in front of her, "please, do not make stay as a pitiful, ignorant, and moronic human," he pleaded.

Artemis thought and carefully inquired, "And what, pray tell, would you do once changed?"

"I would do what every other predator does."

Artemis was slightly confounded. Why would a human want to become an animal? She was curious, but decided against asking. He was obviously desperate. She needed to ask one important question though.

"Where do you hail from and what is thy name?"

"My birthplace is a far off island off the west cost of the Pacific Ocean, one I have long forgotten. My name though, is Ookami."

"Very well then. I understand what your name means in your home language so you shall become what your name means, a wolf." Artemis held out a flask of some sort of concoction only known to the gods. "Drink this tonight, for tonight is a full-moon, and it shall be done. I shall warn you now that even though you shall drink this, you will become ageless but you are still able to die. Do you still wish to change?"

"Yes. I thank you with my very being," Ookami answered with absolutely no hesitation.

With that, Artemis, the huntress of the night, left the forest. As she left, Ookami smiled. He was joyful that he would no longer be human. Even though he smiled, a single tear filled with sorrow, fell down from his cheeks. He would never be able to say good-bye to his precious friends and family. _I'll leave a note telling them what happened. I hope they forgive me, _Ookami thought to himself.

And so, after the moon had risen and he had written his last note to his family, he drank under the pale, ethereal glow of the glorious full-moon. As soon as the foul-tasting liquid it hit his growling stomach, for he had not eaten yet, immense, white-hot pain lanced through his entire body. Dancing flashes of white clouded his vision, never-ending, until sweet unconsciousness saved him from the hell he was experiencing. He awoke from the deep, peaceful slumber five days later. As he tried to stand on two legs, he fell. He landed on his hands and stopped the motion from completing its course. It felt quite comfortable to stand on four legs. Then reality seemed to slap him in the face as he realized what he was, a wolf.

From an on-lookers perspective, his fur was black on his spine and looked like a single black line. It then faded to gray, speckled here and there with black and white, on his sides and the outsides of his legs. From there it, it changed to pure white, as if the gray and black were simply a coat and the white was the shirt underneath. His eyes were the same glowing, piercing, predatory yellow.

He then ran into the forest, where he would become the King of the forest, a King under the rule of the goddess Artemis.

Time began to pass. Seconds turned into minutes, minutes turned into days, days into months, months into years, and years into decades. This process continued until one hundred years passed.

Time skip- one hundred years

It was morning and out little friend, Ookami, was still as young and strong as he was one hundred years ago. Today, one hundred years ago, he was turned into a wolf. A hundred years have passed and he is still here. It is just as Artemis said, he would never age but he could still die. He already knew that for he had almost died multiple times. Some were from sickness, some from wounds, but most were from hunters. You see child, he had become a protector of sorts for the town he used to live close to. He also had never become part of one of the packs that make their homes nearby. He had refused to join and when he didn't, he was challenged for the forest he ruled over. He always won. Anyways, since he was a supposed deity, hunters would want to prove that a wolf is still wolf. So far, every hunter that had come into his kingdom had been killed by none other than Ookami. Since these hunters would 'anger' the village's deity, they would sacrifice one of their own. Today was one of those days.

It was always some sort of damsel. They would tie the child, girl, or woman, to the giant oak tree outside my old hut. As soon as Ookami came out of the shadows, the others would flee with their lives while the female would stay. She would talk to him and ask him to spare their village. Ookami would ignore this and cut them free. The female would always be afraid after that but would stop shaking with fear as soon as he spoke. It was always the same thing.

He would say, "Leave child, for I am not angry with anyone. I would suggest that you leave but not to the village. They would most likely shun you if you returned. Follow the suns decent until you reach the eastern pack of wolves. They will take you to a nearby town. The creatures you meet on the way will supply you with everything you need on the way, as long as you don't hurt them. Now, go."

The female would leave, happy that she was spared.

Artemis was happy that the man she had changed was not hardened by the solitary years alone. She then decided that a gift should be in order. She decided she would take some of the moon's spirit and create a woman whose beauty was unmatched.

Her hair was as just like the night sky, a blue so deep and dark that it seemed to be black. Her skin was that of the moons, a pale white that seemed to glow with the rays of the night. Her eyes were a light, wispy, ethereal gray. Her lips were as pink as the sunset sky. Her overall complexion was one that woman everywhere desired. She was a human who was more beautiful than life itself. She no name though. Artemis thought long and hard about her name until an idea came to her. Why not name her in the same language that Ookami was named. She then picked the name Utsukushī Tsuki, which means 'Beautiful Moon' in Ookami's native tongue.

With the woman, she set herself to the task of finding Ookami. When she found him, Ookami said, bowing low to the ground, "Why Artemis, have I done something wrong, my lady? If so, I did not mean to. Wait, what is that behind you, mistress?"

Artemis brought Utsukushī Tsuki to the front. The girl was blushing from ear to ear, for even though Ookami was a wolf, she could see the handsome human he used to be. Artemis smiled for she noticed why her child was blushing. _Good,_ Artemis thought to herself, _she needs no help in that area for it seems Ookami already has her heart, even though they just met._

"This," Artemis thought, gesturing to the girl, "is Utsukushī Tsuki, she is a gift for you since you have done so well. If you hurt her in anyway though, I will spare no thought in throwing you to Hades, is that understood, Ookami?"

"I understand. I will protect her with my life, for she already has my heart in her beautiful hands. If it is alright with both of you, may I call her Tsuki," Ookami asked. Utsukushī Tsuki stepped forward, head bowed in embarrassment, until she was only steps from him. As she was, Ookami could not see the fierce blush on her face.

"Of course," she said in a timid voice. "Of course you may call me Tsuki. My sister would love it, for my sister is the moon."

Satisfied, Artemis gave her good-byes and left. Unbeknownst to any of them, a hunter was on his way towards Ookami. Ookami didn't notice his scent until it was too late. As he pushed Tsuki out of the way, Ookami was hit by a flying knife. It hit right between his shoulder blades. With it stuck there, his movement was limited. Tsuki tried running to him but stopped when Ookami desperately yelled, "STOP TSUKI! I will not allow you to get hurt because of the hunter. Hide until it is over."

Tsuki was frozen with the need to run to him and at the same time, to do he told her. She could not move. Their eyes locked, one pair frozen in helplessness, the other in fear for his new mate. He didn't want either of them to die after only meeting barely a minute ago. He decided in that moment that he would rather die than let her be harmed. As he faced the hunter, he spoke in a sad, grief-filled voice, "You may kill me, but allow me to take her home. Please, it is my last request."

The hunter couldn't move. He had never heard of a wolf speaking human language. He was afraid. He didn't know what this wolf could do. In his moment of confusion, the hunter ran forward, spear in hand, with the intent to kill. Ookami was afraid. Tsuki didn't need to see this. He turned towards her once again and said pleadingly, "Please Tsuki, at least turn your head away from this scene. Please I be-"

He never got to finish his sentence, for at that moment, the hunter hit him in the heart. Tsuki couldn't turn her head away from the scene that could only be called slaughter. The hunter did not relent in hurting her beloved Ookami. He took out his sword and slashed the already dead carcass multiple times. With each hit the body took, her heart fell even more into darkness. Her sister, the moon, felt her pain. Slowly, the moon turned the color of blood, sympathizing with her sister's loss. As tear streamed down Tsuki's face, the hunter stopped. He then ran away. As soon as the hunter was out of sight, Tsuki let out a blood curdling scream of the pain of losing Ookami. She screamed until she could scream no more. Artemis heard her child's scream and ran back to help her daughter. When she broke into the clearing, she understood what had happened. She knew what she had to do. She took hold of Tsuki and gently grabbed Ookami's now dead and horrifically cut body. She then, with Tsuki, ran to Zeus. Upon entering his throne room, the story began to spill from her lips. Zeus, even though he could be cold-hearted, understood for once and decided to do as she asked. He turned to Tsuki.

"Do you still love him, this Ookami, Tsuki," he sadly asked. Tsuki could only nod her head. Zeus then took Ookami. Slowly, Ookami's body turned into a bright and lively group of stars. Zeus then places him next to the moon. He turned back to Tsuki and slowly spoke.

"Tsuki, he shall live but there is a condition. He will only be able to visit you every full moon. Are you alright with this child?" Again, Tsuki nodded her head, but this time, it was with more confidence.

"Very well my child," Artemis said. "I will have you join your sister again. Know this though, I love you. The wolves will sing of your story every full moon; I will make sure they do. Good-bye, my dear child." Artemis' eyes started to water but no tears fell. Slowly, Tsuki disappeared. The moon returned to its original pale white color. As Tsuki left, the small, timid voice which belonged to her, spoke in a whisper.

"Thank you mother, Zeus."

XxXxX

To this day, Ookami will visit Tsuki every full-moon, and the wolves still sing of the doomed story of the two spirits. They sing to ease the couple's pain of leaving each other again. They sing of their sorrow for the two. They sing of the hunter's regret. They sing of Ookami's and Utsukushī Tsuki's sad past.


	2. NOTICE! ON ALL FICS!

Alright peeps, I am deeply sorry for not letting you know earlier but my mom put a rule on me that says no computer during summer. I know, suck-y mom but, what can you do. That's not the only thing I came here to tell you all though. Besides that small thing, I have something going on right now that has been contributing with my ability to not being able to write stories to the caliber I want them to be. To make sure I am able to overcome this problem, I am going to go to therapy to help me work through it all. To make sure I am able to do this efficiently, am going to stop with my fics for, quite possibly, a long while. I am sorry for not being able to tell you this earlier. During this all, I will try to work on chapters but only if I truly feel up to it. I will be putting my 'Adoptables' up on deviantART. Another thing before I end this, I'm sure I'm going to have those bouts of inspiration where once I start, I just can't stop. When this happens, I will upload them onto my deviantART. If you want to follow along on there, my user name is yamixyugi-yaoi-lover and along with the occasional writing, I will post whatever drawings I happen to do. Who knows, they may end up to be fanart! XD

Really, I just want to be able to get past this so that when I write, it's not some half-assed piece of shit. I don't want to let you all down an I know that in a way, this is another form of doing just that. Please, forgive me. Until next time,

Your faithful crew,

Heather M. Dehmer, Theaxher, Havoc, and Reat


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